Thanks to a suite of new tools based on synthetic biology, it’s now possible to quickly and cheaply insert autism-linked mutations into living cells in the lab.

The genes involved in Rett and Angelman syndromes may collaborate to regulate the expression of other proteins, according to a study published 19 July in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. This may explain the overlap in symptoms between the two disorders, the researchers say.

Duplication of a chromosomal region that includes the autism-linked gene MBD5 leads to intellectual disability, language impairment and autism-like symptoms, according to a study published 1 May in the European Journal of Human Genetics.

Two weeks of treatment with a cancer drug called topotecan boosts expression for a year of the gene that’s deficient in Angelman syndrome, according to unpublished mouse research presented 20 March at the New York Academy of Sciences.

A candidate drug for Angelman syndrome shows promise in activating the gene silenced in people with the disorder, and only that gene. Why doesn’t it unsilence other genes?

Children who carry an extra copy of the 15q11-13 region of the genome usually have autism and sleep troubles, as well as distinctive brain-wave patterns and facial features, according to a report published 14 March in Autism Research.

Mitochondrial deficits may account for the range of symptoms and neurological deficits seen in autism and explain why it preferentially affects boys, says Douglas Wallace.

Smart risk management has propelled Benjamin Philpot from one adventure to another, whether it’s attempting unusual drug screens, learning to rock climb or taking his family to see volcanoes in Chile. His optimism and scientific vigor have led to discoveries for the rare Angelman syndrome, and for the wider autism spectrum.

Two new case studies highlight how complex rearrangements of chromosome 15 can lead to different disorders, including autism and the related Prader-Willi syndrome.

Researchers have used stem cells to identify 801 neuronal genes that are preferentially expressed from either the maternal or paternal chromosome, according to a study published 30 August in PLoS One. Of these genes, 26 are linked to autism and 48 to schizophrenia.